Author: Desiree Haakonsen

One question I’m often asked is, “What restaurant do you recommend in Cape Town?” While the options are virtually endless, I’ve rounded up some of my personal favourite seafood restaurants, because if you’re in the Cape, you can’t leave without some lekke fis ‘n tjips! Family-friendly: Dunes Dunes is a great family spot in Hout […]

Breakfast runs on the open road are great, but if you’re looking for true adventure motorcycling – the kind that involves risks, hazards, and life-changing undertakings – then take a turn off the highway to the tortuous mountain folds, wildflower flatlands, and rippling ochre dunes of the Northern Cape. The contrasting landscapes of the Northern […]

Time and money play a huge role in our lives, and there are a lot of us who don’t have much of either to spare. As opposed to one expensive romantic holiday a year, couples today are seeking shorter, more frequent, and more affordable “minimoons” that are closer to home. When it comes to minimoons, […]

Nothing says summer in Cape Town quite like a Sunday sunset jol on the grassy slopes of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Pack a picnic, pop open a bottle of wine, let the kids run wild, and enjoy live performances from South Africa’s most talented musicians (as well as a few international guests). From rock, jazz, R&B, […]

Cooking tours in the Karoo offer culinary adventures for travellers to feed their inner-foodie and learn about the region’s history and traditions. Karoo lamb, fruit preserves, and baked goods immediately spring to mind when we talk about traditional Karoo foods. But there is a world of other Karoo delicacies like Skilpadjies (braaied fat parcels of […]

It only takes 7 basic colours to make a rainbow. So with 11 official languages, each granted equal status by our Constitution, it’s easy to understand why South Africa is fondly known as the “Rainbow Nation”. With so many beautiful shades, our cultural and ethnic diversity is so rich that often we as South African […]

In a recent review of Knysna Hollow Restaurant I raved about their blue cheese and chive mash that came with the rib-eye steak. It may sound like a silly little dish to rave about, but it really added a great twist to the meal and I even went as far as saying how “I’d love […]

While honeymoons are justifiable splurged upon, who has the time or money to disappear to a tropical island for a week or two of romantic revelry more than once in their lives?! More frequent “minimoons” are the latest trend in romantic getaways; short, secluded, affordable, closer-to-home vacations to celebrate engagements, anniversaries, milestones, or simply reconnect […]